Shaping the Future: Critical Choices on the Road to Excellence. A Background Paper Prepared for the Task Force on Critical Choices for Higher Education.

Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education, Jefferson City.

This briefing document provides background information regarding critical statewide (Missouri) issues in higher education. Following a general discussion of Missouri's educational needs and some possible goals for the system of higher education, the paper focuses on three themes: (1) institutional missions; (2) funding policies; and (3) governance. Each general topic is divided into sections that discuss specific issues, followed, at the end of each section, by several focus questions which need to be answered in order to facilitate the subsequent formulation of appropriate public policies necessary to achieve state objectives. The discussion on institutional mission examines teacher education, graduate education and research, fiscal efficiency, and public accountability. The discussion of funding policies considers tuition and fees and state appropriations. The discussion of governance focuses on the legal structure of higher education in Missouri, effective statewide coordination, and financial constraints. A summary list of the focus questions for each section is provided in the last of seven appendices. Other appendices provide: a list of the National Education Goals; Guidelines for a Statewide Core High School Curriculum Requirement; the National Collegiate Athletic Association 1990-91 NCAA Manual; Recommendations on the Recruitment of Missouri's Future Teachers Coordinating Board for Higher Education, April 26, 1991; and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education Statewide Higher Education Performance Indicators, June 30, 1989. (Contains 21 references.) (GLR)